


Wrong Angel, Right Angel

by ErosandPsyche



Series: Team Misunderstanding [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Based on a Tumblr Post, Castiel & Sam Winchester Friendship, Drunk Texting, Explicit Sexual Content, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hand Jobs, Innocent Castiel, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, Oral Sex, Public Hand Jobs, Resolved Sexual Tension, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Tension, Tumblr Prompt, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-12 06:52:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7090363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErosandPsyche/pseuds/ErosandPsyche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Related to tumblr post. Request: Sam stalks the wrong person online while searching for Dean's ex, Cassie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

“Dude, where are all the beer cans?”

Sam looked over his shoulder at his brother, raising an eyebrow as he set both black duffel bags on the large sofa in the living room. “What?”

“The beer cans.” Dean explained, as if it should make perfect sense. “You’re in a frat house. Where’s the panties, the empty keggers, the groggy drunk chicks doin’ their walk of shame?” It was seven in the morning, maybe everyone was still passed out on a Friday morning.

A young man walked by just then, tall and clean cut with a friendly smile. He wasn’t wearing an uniform, but he had pressed pants. Pressed pants! “Sam, breakfast is in the kitchens.”

“Thanks, looking forward to my turn on Thursday,” Sam called and looked so dang pleased that Dean made a sucking sound with his tongue against his teeth. It wiped the smile right off Sam’s face, he hated that sound. “Look Dean, this isn’t that type of fraternity. They enacted the Men of Principles program a few years ago and I wouldn’t have joined a fraternity like that anyway.”

“Whatever, bitch.” Dean threw himself on one of their plush sofas and stuck out his long legs. “So which one of these frats can I party at between gigs that isn’t completely lame-o?”

Sammy was a sophomore in college and acing it, something Dean was especially proud of. That was great. Heck, their grandfather Samuel had even paid for his tuition. Sam took after the man, after all, always had his nose stuck in a book.

Not Dean. He was more like his father, only wiping enough grease off his hands to grab an ice cold beer on an average day. Yeah. He worked at Bobby’s with his dad, though Dean was the more reliable worker.

Sam ignored the question. “When’s your first gig, anyway?”

“Tomorrow night. That means I have…” Dean checked his watch. “Thirty six hours to drink and sleep and shit.”

“Not in that order, I hope,” Sam mumbled, hiking both duffel bags on his shoulders after emptying all the trash they accumulated over the car ride here.

Dean grinned and followed him up the stairs. “Maybe in that order.”

After he was set up in Sam’s room, which certainly was not a dingy two twin bed shoebox, he pulled off his boots and checked his phone. He ignored his little brother’s knowing look.

But the third time Dean mumbled out a ‘mm hmm’ in response to Sam going on and on about his classes or charity or something, he cleared his throat. “Look, Dean…”

“I’m gonna go check out that breakfast.” Dean took his phone and his dignity down the stairs two steps at a time, getting lost twice in the side halls before reaching his nirvana. Their kitchen was amazing. Breakfast was on no less than five platters. What kind of master chef did they have? Right off the bat he saw the bacon, sausage, ham. And other stuff like eggs, toast, and fruit.

He made with the loading his plate, figuring he needed all the energy he could get before Sam started to treat him like an emotional basketcase. He was just checking his phone. Can’t a man check his phone?

He took his goods back up the stairs because Sam didn’t like anyone eating in his room.

Dean smirked at the bitchface thrown his way, but otherwise his brother ignored that too and went back to clicking around on his computer. The plate was halfway empty before It began.

“Have you texted her?”

There was no point in pretending he didn’t know who Sam was talking about. “Which her?”

He rolled his eyes and huffed. “Cassie.”

Even the sound of the name made Dean’s stomach pitch and roil. Not enough to stop eating or anything, but it wasn’t fun. “Naw man, she always texts me if she wants some.”

That caused an immediate launch on the good ship Sam Cares. “You shouldn’t let her do that to you. You’re better than that. I mean, it’s not like there’s anything wrong with Lebanon.”

“Oh yeah? Then why are you so eager to get out?” he said it even though he knew that wasn’t entirely fair. Sam was accepted at Wichita State University and actually attended, despite being everything that any college could hope for. The only reason he stayed in state, Dean was sure, was to stay close to home. That’s not what Dean wanted for his genius freak of a brother.

“I’m not that far from home and this is a great college to get my undergraduate.”

“Oh yeah, why are you getting your Arts and Crafts degree anyway? I thought you wanted to be a lawyer.”

“ _Liberal Arts_ , Dean. And most law schools like seeing an undergraduate in Liberal Arts, it shows their students are well-rounded. When is the rest of the band coming in?”

“Benny’s driving the van up tomorrow.” Dean had two reasons for coming up early. One, he got to spend some time with his brother before the kid disappeared into some big city and only visited this podunk place every few years. Second, the van smelled like unwashed socks and sweaty balls. The air conditioning had went out during the last half of summer and nobody had enough scratch to fix it, even with Dean working in a garage.

His band was one of the only bright spots in his life. It gave him hope that he might leave Lebanon too, not with a degree but on tour. He daydreamed about all the different tour names they could use for a band called Purgatory.

“Do you have a Friendster account?” Sam asked suddenly, tapping away on his keyboard.

“What the heck is that?”

“Okaaay.” He kept typing away though, clicking a couple of times on his mouse. “Cassie has an account on here.”

“Shut up.”

“Seriously, she calls herself Cassie Angel. No picture though, but look, Senior at WSU.”

Dean crossed his arms and turned his chair away, refusing to look. Why should he? Every year she came home from college for the summer, looking to hook up and be taken out to dinners and bars. Dean’s always done it, because Cassie is hot. Like, smokin’ hot in a way that tiny two-bar towns in Kansas shouldn’t have.

But now that she’s about to graduate, she takes his money and time all summer then drops him like a rock. ‘ _You’re not going anywhere, Dean_.’ ‘ _I have a whole world to explore and I don’t want to be held back_.’ Held back? What about held down, cause she loved it when he forced her face first into the mattress and went to town.

Maybe he was still a little bitter.

“Her birthday is October 9th, right?”

“Uhh. Maybe?”

“Okay, what is she Majoring in?”

“College?”

That earned him a dirty look. Dean shrugged. “What can I say? It’s hard to understand a girl when her mouth is wrapped around--”

“Nope, no, no.” Sam scowled and clicked around. “Looks like she made this about a month and a half ago.”

That was like two weeks after they broke up. Dean simmered and stewed, foot bouncing as he crossed his ankle over his thigh.

“Says Single. Look, she has a lot of pictures up of unusual cloud patterns. Oh, she posted one up of the library about an hour ago. It’s grainy, but it’s definitely the library.” He would know. “You know, if you need closure...”

“No dude. If I’m hitting anything this weekend, it’s going to be someone who is nothing like Cassie. And I’ve never seen her crack open a book, let alone hang out in the library.”

“That’s not what…” Sam drops it then and for that Dean is thankful.

Now he doesn’t necessarily enjoy the tour or hearing all about the place’s history, but he listens for his brother’s sake. He’s completely turned around and the sun is beating down like the fiery hand of God. “Isn’t there a place to grab a drink?”

“It’s ten in the morning.” Sam frowned at him, but he steered them toward a big building. “They have a vending machine here.” He hits the button for water both times, despite Dean’s protest a Pepsi would cool him off much better.

“So what’s this building?” he asked, taking a seat on the stairs and taking a long swig.

“The library.”

Dean nearly spits out his drink, which was already unsatisfying, and shoots Sam a look.

“You said yourself she would never be in the library. Besides, I’m in there all the time and I’ve never seen her.”

“Whatever.” Dean wandered off to the shade and dumped the last half of the bottle over his head. From the cement bench he could see Sam waving to someone coming down the steps. For a moment that same wrench twisted his stomach, but then the other person came into view.

It was just some guy. He was a few steps above Sam, so hard to gauge his height. The most notable two things from the side were his messy black hair and very straight posture. He was wearing snug faded grey jeans and an oversized white hoodie with some tribal design on the back he couldn't quite make out.

Sam turned and pointed at him. Guy turned to look, and Dean found himself startled by the electric blue of his eyes, even at this distance. He raised a hand in a wave.

They only talked for a moment longer before other guy went on his way and Sam beckoned him to continue the tour.

They walked around for a bit longer, grabbing a burger for him while Sam had his soy tofu sprouts sandwich or something. Okay, it was a little disappointing that he wasn’t going to experience a Friday college night of heavy alcohol use and skimpily dressed sorority chicks, but Sam was so damn glad to have him around. He introduced him to more of the fraternity brothers, almost all as nerdy as Sam, Dean could sense it.

Dean was getting changed into some sleep pants when he heard Sam typing away again. “What’re you doing?” he asked narrowly, paranoid now.

“Uhm.. nothing.”

Bullshit. Dean snuck up behind Sam and leaned over his shoulder. “Dude!”

Sam jumped up, turning a bit pink.

“Quit stalking my ex, it’s creepy.” However, Dean didn’t look away from the rows of thumbnails. Cassie, who he assumed would only have pictures of herself, seemed to have a lot more. “Wait, what’s the one?”

Sam did not say ‘I told you so’, though his eyes hinted at it, before clicking. “Oh, that’s from JJ Burgers!” He pointed at the burger filling up a white plate. “It’s a four pound burger, if you eat it all, it’s free. The football team goes there after games and wrecks the place.”

“So it’s probably not hers.” She probably plowed the whole team. Uncharitable thought, but Sam was already clicking through the rest. She had pictures of old classic cars, from old and dented to shiny and remodeled. “Her dad messes with old cars..” Dean muttered. It was how they met. She didn’t know a battery from an engine herself.

“Hey, I’m going to bed. You gonna stay up?” Sam was stretching and yawning, even though it was early as shit.

“Um, sure.” Dean started clicking through Cassie’s Community pages as he waved Sam off. He felt like a stalker, kinda, but quickly forgot that when he snuck a beer out of his bag, cracked it in the bathroom with running water covering the sound. He drank as he found threads she posted on.

_Greeeekhny: can't believe prfsr wants slaughter 5 more like rotgut_  
_CassieAngel: Literature should not be to the mind as to equivalent of a McDonald's hamburger to the body._

_guysinred85: failed Tolkien studies >[ watched all the movies twice_  
_CassieAngel: How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air._  
_T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair._  
_guysinred85: thats deep did u write that_  
_CassieAngel: Absolutely._

He chuckled, she'd gotten snarky hadn't she? And look at that, he always thought she hated his music. Maybe she started to appreciate it after all. Or him?

As he was clicking around on her page he saw a new notification pop up. She was going to the Roadhouse tomorrow at 9 to see Purgatory. A huge grin split his mouth, she missed him!

Heck, maybe he'd give her a little attention if he had time. If he didn't see anything better that was. Cracking another beer, he took a big swig and looked for the message button.

_SWinchester: hey_  
_CassieAngel: Sam?_  
_SWinchester: no this is Dean, borrowing his comp remember me??_  
_CassieAngel: Of course I do. Hello, Dean._  
_SWinchester: u cumming to the show?_  
_CassieAngel: Yes, I am._  
_SWinchester: yes you will be_

Dean cracked his knuckles, thinking of her round butt in those tight pants she wore. Nicest ass he'd ever seen.

Another image popped up in his head for a moment, of sunny stairs and the round curve encased in grey jeans. He shook his head and got to typing.

_CassieAngel: Yes, I will be._  
_SWinchester: see you after show then_  
_CassieAngel: Will Sam be there?_

_I know what you want._ Dean chuckled filthily to himself.

_SWinchester: just you n me_  
_CassieAngel: I appreciate the invitation._  
_SWinchester: got new number sending now_  
_CassieAngel: Thank you. I'm looking forward to the show._

While he hunt and pecked his phone number out, he thought about giving her a show after the show.

Almost immediately his phone buzzed. It was a simple ‘Here is mine.’

She was definitely all over his junk. Hell, maybe he'd give her a preview of the show. He went to unbuckle his belt before his phone buzzed again.

_Cassie: Is there anything I should wear in particular?_  
_Dean: something slutty_  
_Cassie: I'm not sure I can pull that off._  
_Dean: with that ass? hell yeah_  
_Cassie: Thank you? I'll see what I can do._  
_Dean: wat r u wearing?_  
_Cassie: Boxers._  
_Dean: hot_  
_Cassie: It has been hot of late._  
_Dean: wear them tomorrow_  
_Cassie: I had been planning on it._  
_Dean: that or nothing_  
_Cassie: I see. Thank you for letting me know._

Dean crushed the can and grinned to himself. Certain parts of him were insistent no matter which way she went, this was going to be all hers tomorrow night. As he adjusted himself with the heel of his hand, an image of vibrant blue eyes popped into his head.

Maybe he should get some sleep, the beer was going right to his head. He texted her good night and thought of all the dirty things he'd send her tomorrow since she seemed so into it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is really looking forward to seeing Cassie at his show.

 

_Dean: are u an angel in the streets demon btween the sheets?_   
_Cassie: What do you mean?_   
_Dean: ur name_   
_Cassie: Oh. My brother made the name._

Dean slouched in the booth, tapping away with one hand. She had a brother? Okay, maybe Sam had a point with all his questions, he really didn’t know anything about her.

He knew the important stuff though, like what made her squeal. Maybe he’d tell his little brother that next time it was brought up.

“Dean, do you want to order anything else?” Sam asked loudly, cocking a displeased eyebrow at him.

“Naw.” He just had two monster burgers with fried eggs on each in concession to it technically being breakfast. He would’ve paid more attention but they were sitting with two of the frat brothers. And the conversation was boring. Something about a competition. If it wasn’t volleyball with some sisters in shorty shorts, he wasn’t interested.

Percy or whatever was making big overblown gestures with his hands. “Then the claw flipped the other machine over, held it down, and violated it. It was a massacre, I thought Team No Loopholes was going to cry.”

“What?” Dean looked up from his phone, blinking. Okay, that sounded interested. Anything with the word massacre had to be.

Percy grinned at him, eager to share. “Every year we have the Monster Apocalypse, where different teams can build a machine and battle. We didn’t do it last year because most of us were on Men of Principle duty. Do you know how many Chapters have closed in just a few years? The Gamma Chapter is killing it and they wanted us to give speeches.” He high-fived the other guy, Roland or something.

Dean looked dolefully at Sam, wishing he hadn’t taken a seat by the window. He was trapped. “So, Monster Apocalypse?”

“Right, so, usually the usually students of the same Major get together for a team. No Loopholes have all the pre-law students not in a frat. They crushed the year before last with Crowley as their head. Rumor has it he hired outside help to design the machine, Demon Knight. Last year the mechanical engineers outdid themselves. Team Angel created Seraphim and it literally smote King of Demons.”

Dean nodded. A bit geeky, but he could dig it. “Sounds bitchin’. You guys coming to the Roadhouse tonight?”

“We wouldn’t miss it.”

Sam smiled at his college brothers and then his real one.

Dean checked his phone again once the conversation moved on to whether proper attire would be khakis or charcoal grey trousers for live music. Not Sammy, he wasn’t some country club prep. Admittedly though, he was dressed nicer than Dean, who wore scuffed jeans and his green flannel shirt.

_Dean: u ever been to monster apocolypse?_  
_Cassie: Every year._  
_Dean: really? which team u cheer on?_  
_Cassie: I don’t cheer on anyone, I’m on Team Angel._  
_Dean: wut_

Dean eyed Sam. “You didn’t tell me Cassie was on Team Angel.”

Sam only looked puzzled, reminding him that he hadn’t gotten to attend last year’s event because of the Principle thing.

“Cassie?” Roland also looked confused.

A-ha! Dean looked at his phone, about to call her on her shit when Roland snapped his fingers.

“Oh! I know who you’re talking about! Oh man..” he looks off in a way Dean didn’t like at all. “So brilliant...I know all the engineers are good, but that Seraphim was awe inspiring. That was _Cassie's_ baby.”

An engineer who could build killer robots? His eyebrows rose high and nodded with an impressed air to himself as he slid his phone face up again.

_Dean: what are u doin?_  
_Cassie: Making pie._  
_Dean: are u serious_  
_Cassie: Yes._  
_Dean: what kind?_  
_Cassie: Burnt Sugar Caramel Pie._  
_Dean: send a pic_  
_Cassie: What?_  
_Dean: for the love og god semd me a pic_

His thumb flew along the words, no time to fix mistakes. He was practically biting his lip in anticipation. She always said she couldn’t boil water, but this was clearly a lie. Maybe she had subtly been trying to invite him over for her cooking? He didn’t know.

His phone finally buzzed and while the picture was small on his tiny screen, it looked marvelous and homemade.

_Dean: is that meringue_  
_Cassie: The topping is meringue, yes._  
_Dean: i want your pie so bad_  
_Dean: i would lick it off anything u want me 2_  
_Cassie: I have plates._  
_Dean: will you save me a piece_  
_Cassie: Yes, if you want._

Dean was torn between inviting himself over to her dorms after the show for sex or pie? He couldn’t remember the last time he had burnt sugar pie. He wiped his chin just in case all his overactive saliva glands were pushing out too much to handle.

“Hey, are you okay?” Sam leaned over as the other two stood up and scooted out of the booth.

Dean shoved the phone awkwardly in his tightened pants, making wide eyes and an innocent shake of his head. “Uh, yeah. Need any cash?”

Sam stared at him suspiciously. “No, they paid for it. Who have you been on the phone with?”

“Uhh, Mark, he’s the new guy in the garage. Part time, needs a lot of help. Place can’t even run without me.” He fake laughed and quickly stepped around him to catch up with the others.

Roland extended his hand first. “It was great meeting you, Dean. Samuel talks about you all the time.”

Percy nodded and shook his hand next, three firm pumps. “I’ll see you two later. Feel free to ask if you need anything.” He inclined his head toward Dean respectfully.

When the goodbyes were done and said, Dean mouthed ‘Samuel’? to Sam and got a light punch to the arm.

“Don’t be a jerk.”

“Okay, _Samuel_.”

He went to meet Benny, Donnie and Scott as they pulled into town. Dean was the lead guitarist of course, Benny on rhythm guitar and vocals, Scott did the electric bass, and Donnie was a beast on the drums.

“Hey man,” Benny slapped hands with Dean as he set down his gear in front of a huge motel called Value Place. “Got the rooms for a steal. You gonna hang here tonight or is your brother’s frat overflowing in young blood?”

“You’re too goddamn old to be making jokes like that.”

“I’m only five years older than you, shit for brains.” Benny laughed as he shoved a guitar case in Dean’s arms. “We got three rooms. You know the rules.”

“Oh, I’ll definitely be needing one.” Dean felt pretty good about that. Whoever tagged an overnight guest first got dibs on privacy. Whoever was left had to hope the chick was up to taking a member of the band home, and they weren’t quite big enough to always pull that off. One day.

Dean helped them carry the bags they wouldn’t need that night up to the elevators and the rooms. They weren’t bad. He nodded his approval.

He hoped these walls were soundproof, because he’d been shooting in tissues for like two months. Breakups were hard, and so was he.

The Roadhouse was ran by a no-nonsense woman named Ellen. He had only spoken on the phone with her before, and she showed them everything they needed to set up immediately.

“I’ve got four rules. Don’t get too drunk. Don’t break anything. No fights. And my daughter, Jo, is off-limits.”

Dean peeked over his shoulder at the blonde girl helping serve. Pretty enough, but to his twenty-three year old gaze she looked like a baby. And he wasn’t going to put business over pleasure, not with such venue in such a central location. “What daughter?”

Ellen smirked and walked back to go back to stocking the bar for the big night.

Dean loved feeling the strings under his fingers. His callouses had formed long before he ever picked up a guitar, so the new ones blended right in. He warmed up on stage, some curious eyes turning his way from the early drinkers. It wasn’t their first gig or anything, but he always got hyped up before a performance.

The closer it got to nine o’clock the less frequent Benny took smoke breaks and Dean slowed down on beer. He rarely overdid it, just enough to relax and be the growly vocal backup to Benny’s surprisingly rugged baritone.

Dean nods at Sam and four of his frat buddies as they take a seat, winks at a table with five college age girls. There a couple of familiar faces he’s seen at shows before, that was cool.

By the time Purgatory is playing their first set, Not Evil Enough, the place is filling nicely and the music was pumping in his blood. He sang and growled, moving as body as his fingers quickly and moved deliberately.

As Benny held the mic to announce the second song, Trapped For a Year, a spot of white caught the corner of his eye. Dean moved to get a better look, surprised to see that guy Sam had been talking to by the library. He was still wearing the hoodie, the front black and pure so no chance of seeing the back. His hair was just as messy as before and the dim lighting barely hid the flash of blue eyes raised toward the stage.

_Trapped in their lies, I’ve been looking_  
_for you so long_  
_I just want to protect you from_  
_the monster inside_

This was the song he really got to sing in Benny’s pauses, their voices overlapping perfectly, even better than practice. Dean was sweating and flying and he loved this part where the music throbbed down to his bones. He kept glancing near the door, but that damn white kept catching his attention. The eye is naturally drawn to light colors, he seems to remember his obnoxiously smart brother pointing out when looking at album covers.

As the song wound down Sam and the guy were standing next to each other, Blue Eyes stuck his hand on Sam’s arm and looked up to him.

Oh, was it like that? Not that he’d judge his own flesh and blood, Sammy was a big boy. Dean did throw a wink their way as the next song started, Sell Your Soul.

Sam look befuddled when he kept throwing a grin their way, but Blue Eyes did this intense stare with his head slightly tilted back. Okay, yeah, he could see Sam being into that. Hell, he felt a little flattered having all that attention directed his way.

He was sweating hard after the guitar solo, but the crowd ate it up. They were young and drunk, rocking out after a hard week of exams and homework and the like. He was pretty proud of this one, he helped write it. It was about a guy who had to decide between watching his youngest die or make a deal. It ended tragically, the ones he planned always did.

Maybe he was just a pessimistic type of guy, but life was pretty fucked up sometimes. Their mother passed away before he could remember more than just a few precious scraps, and Sam none at all. He looked at his brother, to see if he was hearing the words the way Dean meant them.

It was hard to tell in the lack of light, but Blue Eyes was watching him. Him, specifically, unwaveringly so. It sent a funny set of chills down his already tense arms.

They got a damn big cheer and calls for an ovation after the last song, Letting Go of You. Dean traded a look with Benny and he announced one of their more popular hits, God is Bisexual. It was dirty and loud and Donny got to bring the house down with an extended solo.

Dean dumped an entire water bottle over his head once they were in the back room with a comfy sofa and an adjoining bathroom. He shook his head briskly, splattering everyone with mingled sweat and water.

“For fuck’s sake,” Scott grumbled as he wiped his face. “You always do that, you know.”

“Do what?” Dean smirked.

“Wear white and get it all wet when you’ve spotted a hole you want to fill. We get it, you have nipples.”

Dean immediately frowned, he did no such thing! And when the door opened he raised an arm protectively over his chest until he could see if it was that transparent. Luckily it was just Sam and Blue Eyes.

“That was amazing!” Sam gushed, almost giving him a hug but pausing at the wet shirt and his odd stance. “Did you hurt your arm?”

“Naw, just, uh, I’m going to get changed. Hey man.” He lifted a hand to acknowledge Sam’s friend and stalked to the back. Pfft, he didn’t put himself on display when he was on the scam. His skill out there spoke for itself, drew all the honeys. Some of them, anyway.

He changed into a clean white shirt and a flannel, soft, red, not see-through. Of course his plan was immediately ruined when on the way back out Benny splashed some water on him and laughed uproariously.

Dean buttoned up his flannel shirt mutinously, taking a heavy seat by Sam on the sofa. Blue Eyes was still there, sitting on the single chair perpendicular to them.

“You didn’t have to wait back here for me.”

“I know. I invited my friend though, when I saw him at the library. He really liked the show, so I wanted to show you off. For once.” Sam was holding a glass of clear fizzy liquid and looking much too perky.

Dean nodded, then snatched the glass right of his brother’s hand and took a sip before Sam could nab it back. He choked. “Soda? _Soda_? This is a bar, not some high school homecoming bullshit. I drank harder stuff in junior high.”

“I’m sorry, he’s always like this.” Sam apologized to his friend.

Blue Eyes nodded solemnly, his gaze directed back to him. “Hello, Dean.”

His voice was deeper than Dean would have guessed, great for a bass singer. It practically travelled to his bones, the same way a really good beat did. Dean blinked at him.

“This is Castiel. It’s pretty rare I see him anywhere but the library, so.” Sam grinned at his friend.

Castiel? What sort of name was that? But he didn’t want Sam to get all butthurt, so he leaned over to shake the other man’s hand. It was surprisingly firm and the skin not exactly rough, but not lily-soft like Percy or Roland. “You drink?”

Castiel’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Not frequently.”

“You are tonight. Go get something hard, bring me one too.”

“Dean!” Sam hissed, looking somewhere between scandalized and embarrassed.

Dean waved off the reaction and waited for Castiel to stand up, the jeans molding to the strong thighs, and leave. Molded to his ass too. Dean tore his eyes away a little late for Sam to not have noticed. Fuck.

“Got yourself a real catch there. Good job.” He slapped Sam’s knee, deciding ‘I was checking him out for you’ was a pretty good excuse. It was true too, he was fairly sure. Before Sam could respond, Dean’s hip buzzed. He pulled out his phone and held up a finger to his brother to wait.

_Cassie: Do you have a preference of what type of alcoholic beverage you want? I do not._

Dean smirked, he knew she couldn’t stay away. He was disappointed she missed his pounding performance out there, he knew he looked good out there. He was a good looking guy all the time, but girls professed all the time he became downright sexy up on stage.

_Dean: grab 2 beers_  
_Dean: i was lookng 4 u out there_  
_Cassie: I noticed._  
_Dean: u did?_  
_Cassie: Yes._

She was being downright playful. That got him buzzing more than the two beers he had before the show, he was grinning at the thought. It was hard to really look in the nooks and crannies of a bar anyway, especially since his attention kept wandering to...wandering away.

“Who are you texting?” Sam asked, eyes narrowed at him.

Dean quickly put away his phone before Mr. Fantastic Arms could get ahold of it. Older brother or not, Sam had always held his own pretty well. “Nobody. Is that why you’re here, you cockblocker?”

The door opened in the middle of his sentence, but it was just Castiel with two beers. He ducked his head a bit, but Dean accepted the offered bottle without taking note really.

“Come on Castiel, tell him hanging around here is killin’ my game.”

Now Sam pulled out his bitchface, crossing his arms and settling back against the sofa with an air of determination.

Castiel looked between them with a beer held loosely between his fingers, uncertainty written all over his face.

Clearly dude thought he’d get to have Sam all to himself. Dean had pity on the poor guy, he just had this look about him. “Take a seat. Don’t mind him, he’s just overprotective. If he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t have invited you.”

Castiel slowly took a seat, looking from side to side as if contemplating this. He did take a swig though and that was a clear sign all was well.

“How much do I owe you for the drink?”

Castiel shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

Sam didn’t even look intrigued. Dean wasn’t into guys, but if he was, between that voice and that hair that looked like he just got rode hard and put up wet…

In the weird silence that followed Dean snuck his phone out. It would get even more awkward if she showed up with Sam here, but he was willing to deal with that. No message.

_Dean: ur playing hard to get arent you_

It took nearly a minute to get a response, but he clicked through his morning alarms so Sam wouldn’t cotton on when he kept peeking at the little screen.

_Cassie: I am not sure._  
_Dean: tease_

Castiel choked on his beer, drawing Dean’s attention away from his phone. Oh man, was he being a bad host? Sam was clearly content with judging Dean silently while Castiel was patiently waiting for him. Maybe he could shake them at the bar.

“It’s dull back here. Let’s get out there, let the fans buy me some drinks!”

Sam had no choice but to follow him out into the sweltering push of bodies and yells and dancing and off-kilter singing to the music from the speakers.

Dean pushed between two cute honeys to lean against the bar, throwing a wink at the blonde one of the pair. She smiled and rolled her eyes as she picked up her drink and tugged her friend away. Probably dating each other, he thought as he watched them go. “Hey Sammy, I made room!” Because of course Sam was making his way through.

Castiel wasn’t far behind, though he frankly didn’t seem too sure if he should be.

Couldn’t blame him, Dean would be pretty put out if he were in the guy’s position. “Two more Thighslappers!” He held up two fingers to the non-owner bartender and wiggled the bottle in case she couldn’t hear him. He threw down a five once they were placed in front of him and held out one to Castiel.

Castiel looked from the one he already had to the full one.

“Drink up, Cas!” Dean plunked the bottom of his bottle on the lip of Castiel’s beer firmly, making it slowly but surely foam up.

Castiel pressed his mouth against the neck as the white foam spilled over his fist, then his whole mouth engulfed the top.

Dean usually made a crude joke when he did that to his bandmates, but he found himself just watching. Swallowing and taking a swig out of his beer, he peered around for the glimpse of a familiar face.

“Why did you do that?” Castiel asked once the beer was under control.

“That’s what you do when a guy falls behind! You’re playing with the big boys tonight.” He grinned, moving his head to the beat. The music was still hard, just the way he liked it.

Castiel cast him a dubious glance, but he finished that beer by raising up the butt and not lowering it until he set an empty drink on the bar.

“Right on, you're a champ at swallowing.” Dean winked and gently clicked the bottom of his bottle against the bottom of Cas’s in a toast.

An embarrassed twitch showed at the corner of Castiel’s mouth, the first sign he understood innuendos. Admittedly, the innocence was kinda appealing.

Sam seemed to loosen up after that, not complaining once when his friends bought the next several rounds. They must have been familiar with Castiel already, as they greeted him with an impressed air.

It made Dean wonder how long Sam had been seeing him and why did he hide it? Did he think Dean would be mad at him? While he was straight as an arrow himself, nothing wrong with preferring strudel to pie. As long as the baker was good to his little brother, he had no problem with it.

In fact, he’d make sure Sam knew for sure that Dean accepted and liked Castiel. He kept throwing his arm around the guy, making sure Castiel was included no matter how many groupies came up and cast eyes at Dean.

Plus, if he played his cards right, maybe Cassie would see how Dean ignored all those drunk and very available girls. Chicks loved being the only one.

During a lull in the conversation Dean checked his phone. No answer after tease? He girded up his liquid courage and typed.

_Dean: those chks got nothing on u_  
_Cassie: Nothing on me?_  
_Dean: no way ur mouth alone is heaven_

He didn’t get to add anything before the All-Seeing Eyes of Sam fixed on him like friggin’ lasers. “Just checking the time.” Dean lied smoothly. “Hey look, Castiel is back.”

Castiel was walking back from the bathroom, brow furrowed as he stared at his phone. A tad dangerous to do in a crowd with little coordination and drinks in hand, especially wearing white.

“Hey, aren’t you hot in that?” Dean said loudly, to be heard over the music. He forgot to check what the pattern was on the back, but before he could ask Castiel was pulling the whole thing over his head, shirt riding up with it.

The sudden shock of seeing a taut expense of stomach, tan with a dusting of dark hair, rendered him speechless. Good god it was hot in here, he hadn’t realized he was kinda short of breath till now.

He held up two fingers to the bartender again, looking back at Castiel. His upper body under the thin cotton shirt matched his legs, deceptively strong and clearly toned.

_Damn Sam, good job is right._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sure how to respond to reviews without bumping up my review count. :/ But I do read them and if anyone knows how to do so, I shall be more than happy to drop a note toeveryone, cause you all ROCK!!!!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has an epiphany about why Sam and he keep running into Cas.

 

_Dean: did you wear the boxers_  
_Cassie: Yes._  
_Dean: what do they look like_  
_Cassie: Black with AC/DC on the front._  
_Dean: i need proof_  
_Dean: asap_

While Dean was enjoying the attention and the fun everyone was having, Sam was not budging an inch. He even followed Dean in the bathroom like they were going to share lipstick or gossip or something. If he wasn’t so damn sure that once Sam graduated he’d basically never come back home he would have read him the riot act.

But it is sweet. Frustrating as all fuck, but sweet.

_Cassie: I don’t believe that’s possible at this moment._

In fact, Sam was so busy being diligent that his poor neglected boyfriend was currently sitting on a stool and staring at his phone. He didn’t even type much, he just...stared. Embarrassed too, probably because he was being ignored.

Dean should kick Sam’s butt for treating a patient dude like that. That was rare to find anyone nice, Dean knew for damn sure that he’d have fled by now to find someone more attentive.

“Hey,” Dean leaned over Castiel’s shoulder to not-so-subtly peer at his phone. “Sam’s a good guy, really.”

“I don’t...I mean, I know.” He appeared flustered, his eyes even more blue from up this close. How did a person even have that blue of eyes? Maybe it was the contrast of black lashes and skin just a few golden shades from pale.

“He gets weird when I come around.” Dean barely realized he is completely invading the guy’s personal space, but there was no reaction so it must be fine. He’d had his arm around his shoulder a bunch, but it felt different facing him.

Cas nodded solemnly, head tilting back just slightly, like he did while watching Dean on stage.

Dean wetted his own lips before turning his head away to drain the last of his beer. “This has been a real gas, but I’ll do you a favor and try again to get Sam to leave.” He pulled away from Cas’s side and closed the distance with a few steps. He smacked Sam on the arm to get his attention away from his fellow principled nerds.

“What?” Sam raised an eyebrow, taking another drink of his soda.

“I'm glad you're having a great time and all, but you invited dude then left him alone. You said yourself that he never goes anywhere but the library. That's crummy. And that's coming from me.”

Sam's face drops like when he was seven and his ice cream dropped in the dirt. “You’re right. I've been so--err, I just lost track of time.”

Dean graciously let the lie pass unchallenged, he was magnanimous like that. “I'll stick with the band tonight. See you tomorrow morning.”

Sam pulls out an epic ‘ _You shall not pass_!’ bitchface and throws down the gauntlet. “I'll drive him home then both of us.”

“I'd prefer to stay.” Dean crossed his arms.

“Then give me your keys so I can be sure you won't drive.”

“I wouldn't do that to Baby!”

“Then I guess I'll just stay right here.”

Dean sat in the backseat of his Impala alone, trying to glare holes into Sam while the bastard drove. He couldn’t believe it, it was barely even midnight! If he needed a dad...well, that time had long since came and gone. Dean even had to insist Cast sit up front with Sam, not that he’d blame him for being put out with his brother.

When they arrived at a nice set of dorms Dean was tapping his feet and drumming on his knees, the music was just turned down so low.

“Thanks for coming out.” Sam was saying quietly. “I, um, hope you had a nice time.”

“I had a pleasant evening, Sam, thank you. Good night Dean.” He looked in the backseat with his amazingly blue eyes, catching Dean’s attention for a long moment.

Dean couldn’t say exactly what it was, but heat shot down from his face, straight into his stomach to much lower. Then Cas backed up and opened the backseat door. Dean remained exactly where he was, staring at the lower half of Cas and the white hoodie curled in one arm.

“Do you want to get in the front?” Cas finally asked.

Oh! Dean slid out of the seat, brushing his shoulder against Cas’s chest accidentally. Cas closed both doors before Dean could yank his side shut.

“Thanks.” Dean muttered, as if Cas could hear him through an open door.

On the downside, Sam was staring at him like he was a freak. “How drunk are you? You’re all flushed.”

“Shut up.”

“You’re not going to throw up in Baby, are you?”

“I’d throw up in your mouth first.”

Sam smiled instead of frowned and that was too much for Dean. He turned up the music and jammed in his head the rest of the car ride home.

He did sneak his phone out in the bathroom though.

_Dean: u blew me off_  
_Cassie: I didn't mean to._  
_Dean: i know, sam wasn't gonna leave tho_  
_Dean: was thinkin about u_

He felt a bit guilty considering he forgot about her for most of the night, but it was a pretty slick line. No girl really wanted to hear a guy was having such a great time with his friends that he kinda forgot he was dating anyone.

Not that they were dating. Yeah she was far more attractive at this point than any other time with their clothes were on, but she _had_ broken up with him. That hurt a guy where it counted, she was going to have to want this.

_Cassie: Were you?_

Normally Dean would go into descriptions of exactly what he pictured her doing on her knees, but he pulled back the reins a little. She was being playful and doe-eyed, figuratively, he had to do tit for tat.

_Dean: of crs were u thinkin of me?_  
_Cassie: I was mostly watching you._  
_Dean: i thought u were did u like what u see??_  
_Cassie: You are attractive, yes._

Dean shifted while sitting on the lip of the tub, elbows resting on his knees as he typed away. Had to admit, he was getting turned on. He was already turned on earlier at various points of the night, the effects of alcohol and his abstinence of course.

_Benny: hey you gonna want that room tonight?_  
_Dean: no_  
_Benny: HAHAHAHA you said you would definitely NEED one! loser_  
_Dean: fuck you i’m here for sam not chks_

A wave of guilt made him feel even worse than Benny’s utter lack of belief. It wouldn’t be the first night Dean struck out, but jiggly bits would be around after Sam left forever.

Tucking his phone back in his pocket, he left the bathroom to hang out with Sam for a bit. Maybe they could play video games or shoot the breeze, whatever. Yeah, had to remember what was important.

It was nearly noon by the time he woke up on the unoccupied bed in Sam’s humongous room, one arm flung over his face. He peeked under to see if anyone was around. Sam was gone, but they had a good time last night. The guys here were pretty funny for nerds if the stories Sammy told were true and he was glad Sam was connecting people with common interests.

He wouldn’t have fit in with the binge-drinking, panty-raiding type of jocks anyway. Hell, Dean didn’t fit in with them. One would push things too far, he’d deck them and be kicked out the frat.

Too much self-analyzing!

He was a man of action. He needed action in all the worst sort of ways.

Dean jumped up and grabbed some clothes to get showered. Normally a night after the show was a scene of, if nothing else, empty bottles and some sign of chaos. Everything was pin neat in Sam’s room.

Though it was kind of a nice feeling to not have to look around and wonder what the fuck he did the night before and if it was going to cost money or future gigs. Maybe he should take a page out of this ‘have principles’ thing Sam had going on.

Sam stuck his head in the room as Dean came out while rubbing his head with a towel. “Hey, let’s go out to lunch.”

“Sure. What’s that place with the four pound burgers?” He called after him.

Of course Sam complained the whole time to JJ Burgers about how they didn’t have healthy options on the menu.

“Then drink some friggin’ milk princess, I’m getting a free burger.” Dean said as he pushed open the glass door to the place.

While they wait he heaved a big sigh as he pulls out his phone. “Damn Mark, can’t manage shit,” he muttered.

_Dean: i’m about to challenge jj ever had one?_  
_Cassie: Once or twice._  
_Dean: u should cum have sum meat ;)_

It was a decent sized place, lots of modern art for a place that threw a cow leg on the grill for consumption, but whatever.

“Two.” Sam smiled at the passing waitress.

“I’m here for the monster burger.” Dean tells her as she goes, winking when she looks back over her shoulder.

As she seats them, Sam tugs on his sleeve like a damn five year old. But it makes sense in a second, Cas is entering the restaurant.

Dean rolled his eyes good-naturedly, he bet Sam covertly invited him while he was complaining sooo much. Couldn’t blame him, Dean was trying to get a peek at his ‘object of interest’ deep-throating food too.

“Why don’t you take a seat, man?” Dean used his foot to hook a chair leg and bring it around to the table.

Cas looked at them, unsurprised of course because Sam thought he was sneaky, inclined his head and sat down. “Hello, Dean. Hello, Sam.”

Sam did manage to pull off looking surprised. “Hey, I didn’t know you came around here.”

Pfffft, what a liar.

Cas nodded, eyes travelling back to Dean directly. “Sometimes people invite me.”

See, Cas was being honest at least. Dean nodded knowingly.

The waitress came back with her pen and pad poised cutely, smiling at all three of them appreciatively. “So what’ll you be having to drink today?” Her southern tang was also cute, but Dean was busy scoping if the two lovebirds were holding hands under the table.

Sam should put his shoulder around Cas or something, why was he being so secretive?

Dean didn’t even look at the menu, he didn’t need no stinkin’ menu. “I’ll have a Pepsi and that huge ass burger for free.” He grinned cockily, they’d never seen anyone destroy meat the way he was about to.

Her eyes lit up as she cracked her gum, giving him a good look over. “Is this your first time, darlin’?”

“Yeah, but don’t be gentle.” He leaned forward to really flash the classic Winchester charm her way. Not out of interest, but you just did that with pretty girls.

She looked way too delighted as she turned to call over her shoulder, “We got a _Beefeater_ over here, BEEFEATER in the plaid jacket.”

Of course a chorus of laughter sounded all around, good natured, but Dean still felt his cheeks getting hot.

Waitress winked saucily at him as she jotted down the order.

While Dean was stewing in the juices of his own too-big smile to show he didn’t care, Sam ordered a chicken sandwich without bread or mayo, and a side of celery and carrots they used for the wings.

Cas also did not look at the menu. “I’ll take a Beefeater Challenge as well.”

“Gotcha.” Waitress grinned at them and sauntered off, swaying her hips a little extra in satisfaction.

Dean took a deep breath and sniffed. “Why didn’t they announce yours like that?”

“I’ve ordered it before,” Cas said simply, taking the paper napkin in his fingers, unfolding it, and placing on his lap neatly.

It was impossible to imagine him biting into food larger than his mouth, sauce spilling over his chin and hands. Heck, he couldn't imagine Cas lying on a bed panting in abandon. But then he'd have to picture Sam in there and nope nope nope.

“Did you end up checking out that book on philosophy?” Sam asked.

“I did. I think you'd enjoy _The Moral Conundrum_ , which expands on that line of thinking. It strips away the short-lived petty judgments and intertwines the divine and the universe.” Cas spoke so seriously and intently, gaze trained on Sam and nobody else.

“I'll have to check it out, unless you have the last one checked out again.”

There, now Sam's tone was light and they were flirting away. Dean shifted his hip and palmed his phone, glad he was sitting alone on the other side of the table.

_Dean: religion is boring_

He got his Pepsi and took a long drink while listening to them with half an ear.

“I've been incorporating your advice when we go talk to other chapters. Why didn't you ever pledge for Beta Theta Pi?” Sam's hand moved, but didn't even come close to touching Cas.

“I was in a fraternity once,” he said gravely.

“Really?”

“I'm afraid that I did not agree with their definition of leadership.” With that vague statement his eyes dropped low.

_Cassie: I apologize._  
_Dean: naw youre helping now_  
_Cassie: How?_  
_Dean: piccing u with no shirt ;)_

The waitress settled a tray next to them with a toothy smile, plopping down Sam’s weird food first, then Dean’s massive honkin’ burger. With aplomb.

“Enjoy your meat,” she winked.

Dean colored up a bit, casting a look at Sam then Cas. The other man was a bit pink around the cheeks; Dean bet those two were playing footsie.

She placed another plate with an equally huge burger in front of Cas, smiling in a friendly way at him. “Enjoy, darlin’.”

Cas nodded at her solemnly and picked up the fork and knife to carefully cut into the quadruple layered burger oozing with cheese.

Dean wrapped his hands around the sides and lifted, biting into the end before it could sag too much under the weight of all that delicious charbroiled meat. Unlike some places with food challenges, this tasted fucking fantastic. He moaned around it, sliding his tongue against the ridged patty even as he chewed.

This, this was worth rolling out of bed for. If he went to college here, he’d be here every day with tongue hanging out.

Dean spoke when he finally could, swallowing every hot morsel first. “Cas, what are you doing?”

“Eating…?” Cas cut another baby-sized piece and popped it past his lips using the fork.

Dean shook his head and leaned forward to catch Cas’ wrist. It was surprisingly solid under his fingers, and Cas stared at him with startled blue eyes and frozen muscles.

“Put the fork down.”

Cas slowly lowered the fork, still warily watching him.

“Okay, now I want you to grab it with both hands.”

The other man slowly placed his hands on each side of the burger, still watching him as if this was some trick.

“Okay, lift it but get a bite in quick, hold the weight with your chin. I want you to dive in there like,” uhh, think of a non-female related simile, “like the goal is to get as much of your face wet. C’mon, open your mouth, yeah, that’s it..”

He watched as Cas opened his mouth and pushed it into the V he already made in the burger with his silverware. His jaw moved as he bit down, lashes fluttering closed. With the clear and colored juices smudged against his chin, Dean had to admit that was lewd and suggestive all at once.

Dean looked at Sam...who was staring at his phone. He kicked him, frowning at his brother once they locked eyes. Dean flitted his eyes toward Cas pointedly.

Sam looked confused.

“Mmm,” Cas made a sound that was positively indecent to be making in a public place, his jaw moved slowly with eyes still closed.

Dean watched Cas go to town as he distractedly took a bite of the edge of his own burger. Cas really took that advice to heart; the sides of his mouth were shiny where his tongue couldn’t reach it. He kept tracing his bottom lip and dipping in the corners of his mouth to catch all the flavor and why wasn’t Sam watching?! You could make the beginning of a porno out of this.

Dean missed his mouth with the end of the burger. It smeared along the side of his cheek and he quickly wiped it off, searching for another napkin.

“Here, Dean.” Cas held out one, the corner pinched between his long fingers.

“Thanks.” Dean kinda wished Cas’d stop saying his name with that sex-on-tape voice, it was crossing Dean’s signals all up. Or mixing them. He didn’t know. He blamed this long-ass dry spell.

He couldn’t even enjoy his burger as much as normal next to Cas’s quiet intakes of breath and mmm’s that vibrated deep in his throat. Not that he was annoyed, it was just...just…

It was minutes of soft slurps and continual glimpses of his tongue curling against his upper lip or swiping the bottom of the burger. Maybe Sam was covertly watching and Dean didn’t notice. Cause he was wrong wrong wrong about Cas being so prim he couldn't get lost in pleasure. Holy fuck.

“Dean, are you going to be able to finish that?” Sam snorted as he eyed the burger he still had left.

Broken out of his reverie of hazy images and hot prickles under his skin, he looked away from Cas. “I’m workin’ on it.” Dean muttered, taking a big mouthful and showing it to Sam on his tongue.

“Gross!” Sam made a face and took a sip of his vegan gluten-free iced tea or something. “Why are you so gross all the time?”

He grinned back at his brother and took another huge bite. Should catch up to Cas at least, if nothing else to show he wasn’t a complete pansy.

After the burgers were gone and his ice was melting in pale brown droplets, Dean let out a satisfied sigh. His appetite felt sated finally, at least until he checked his phone.

_Cassie: Piccing? As in a picture?_

Now that was what he wanted after a good meal. Along with cracking open a cold beer, ogling a fine ass, and waiting to romp around a bed to burn off the well-earned calories.

_Dean: how about i take the pic ;)~_

“Does Mark need you that bad?” Sam caught him and did not look pleased.

Dean tilted his soda back and coughed, forgetting the watery dregs were all that was left. He could feel his leg jiggling nervously under the table, trying to remember what he had said about 'Mark' who was 'new' at the garage. “Yeah, who knew he’d be so needy? I mean, it’s not hard to stop blowing out headers is it?”

Cas tilted his head again, eyes narrowing slightly in thought.

“Like, on a car. I mean. If anyone, uh, blows out...other stuff…” He could feel his cheeks heating up, not sure if he accidentally insulted the whole gay thing.

“I haven’t worked on a car in ages.”

“You used to work on cars?” Now Dean perked up, that was cool.

“Yes. My dad used to do so as well, I learned at a very young age. Once I was older, I was helping my siblings whenever their car broke down or needed maintenance.”

“Have you done any classic cars?”

“Yes. I finished a 1970 Pontiac GTO convertible by myself in high school. I redid the paint in its original code, 78 Burgundy, and replaced the white power top convertible. I rebuilt the original engine and added a Ram Air III Cam to really add power. That was my first and only lone project, but I’ve helped with others.”

“You are marriage material, no lie.” Dean nudged Sam under the table. His little brother definitely needed someone around who wouldn't balk at getting a dab of grease on his skin.

Cas appeared taken back, glancing around as if not sure what to make of that.

Dean wasn’t completely oblivious. He looked between Cas and Sam who were on the same side of the table but didn’t hold hands or even brush knees. Hell, Dean’s calf touched Cas’s on accident more than those two were touching.

Maybe Sam hadn’t worked up the nerve to actually ask him out yet. Yeah, his geeky brother was probably just as hopeless with boys as girls as it turned out. Maybe inviting him to the show was Sam’s way of feeling out the waters.

Cas was hard to get a read on, who knew if he was even into guys? 

It was a huge relief to let go of the thought Sam had been dating on the downlow out of fear of his father and brother. No, Sam was doing his good old-fashioned shy thing.

Well, Dean had been his wingman then and he’d be his wingman now.

“It was good seeing you, Cas. Hoping to see more of you later.” He winked, again making it as obvious as possible that he accepted the guy. That was important, the support of family.

Cas did that funny look-everywhere-else eye movement again before nodding. “Thank you.”

Once Dean paid, and he did pay this time by snagging the check first, he debated on how to do this as they left. Should he say he had to do band stuff and leave them alone together?

Should he stay and give Sam a helping hand with the guy lest they end up friends for three years and Sam doesn’t make a move until graduation day again? He kinda deserved that slap.

“Do you have any plans later?” Dean asked as they stepped outside.

Cas shook his head. “Just studying.”

“Take a break and let’s figure out something to do together.”

Sam was barely able to hide his smile, looking at Dean as if he hung the moon and the stars. “What should we do?”

“Why don’t we let Cas pick?” Dean said generously. It was fair, Cas seemed like he’d be the dominant one in the relationship. He was quiet, but not weak. He exuded this air of surety and self-confidence that wasn’t arrogance. It was just...there.

“They have a Real Lives + Real Engineering Exhibit going on right now.”

Shit, he forgot Sam and all his friends were nerds.

And that's he ended up in a large event center, walking with Sam and Cas through groups of college students, parents with their kids in wheelchairs or crutches or folded up sleeves.

Some exhibits showcased off-road wheelchairs, Professor X looking, and another had a vest that let one feel music. He got to try on an adult sized one, but what really made it was the glow on the face of a kid happily signing away to his parents.

“That’s what I want to do,” Cas said quietly as they watched a man demonstrate a prosthetic hand that he controlled with his thoughts. It was still in development, the speaker hastened to say, but the technology was well on its way to being a reality.

“Become half man, half robot?”

A smile twitched at the corner of Cas’ mouth as he watched the children, eyes softening. “I want to help people become whole. I want to help them heal.”

Geez, the guy was like perfect. Worked on cars, ate big burgers like a champ, wanted to help little kids. Dean was almost jealous of Sam, but hey, if anyone deserved to find a good person…

Since they walked to the exhibit, Cas made his goodbyes on the stairs of the event center and left on foot. Sam and Dean turned the other way, and one of them had a mission.

Operation _Help Sam Get a Date_ was about to get launched.

“Hey Sam, if you want to invite Cas over while I’m here, that’s cool with me.” Openly, he silently said, instead of pretending they just ran into him. Dean was not born yesterday, he was far more perceptive than people realized.

Sam shrugged. “I wasn’t sure. You kinda act a little weird around him.”

“He’s a bit geeky, but he’s all right. Your lifestyle is your choice is my point.” If only he had known before this, he could have thought about what he would say beforehand instead of spewing things that could have featured on Lifetime.

“Even if it doesn’t involve copious amounts of booze, rock, and orgies?”

“If it makes you happy, I’m cool with it.”

Sam looked a bit taken back, but grateful. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

Feeling like the best big brother in the whole world, Dean smiled and whistled _Enter Sandman_ as they walked.

_Benny: they’re going to have cameras at the MA gig btw_  
_Dean: they always have cams_  
_Benny: No, like from the news channel_  
_Dean: awesum!!! y tho?_  
_Benny: they always televise the college thing with the killer machines_  
_Dean: i didnt no that was the last gig YES PERFECT_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to respond to everyone but don't want to artificially bump up my Comments numbers! But I read every single one and am determined to push this to the end for you guys!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean takes it upon himself to give Cas advice how to woo Sam.

 

After Sam had a meeting with his frat brothers, Dean puts his plan into operation. He double-checked nearby places on the computer that was lowkey. Sam would need alcohol and a quiet atmosphere.

“Let’s go out tonight.”

“It’s Sunday.”

“Look, the Wagon Bar serves wagon sized pizza and cold beer. We could be home early enough for you to get all your beauty sleep.”

Sam sat on his bed and pulled out his phone with a contemplative look.

Before Sam could text his crush in secret, Dean casually said, “You could invite Cas, if you want.”

Sam looked up with raised eyebrows. “I guess? You know that just because I said you act weird around him doesn’t mean you have to bend over backwards to show you like him.” He placed his phone on one knee as if he wasn’t just about to text the guy.

“Right,” Dean said, “but you like him, right?”

“Yeah, I like him fine.” He gave Dean another odd look and held up his phone again. “If you want me to, I will.”

“Of course I do,” Dean said easily, stuffing his dirty clothes in his bag and checking to see if he’d have to do laundry before he left. He was a dab hand at packing to travel, given their upbringing. He’d been responsible for Sammy and his stuff once he was tall enough to pack on a motel bed.

Dean called Benny as Sam made a phone call to give him some privacy, seeing if the guys wanted pizza and beer. Benny was up for it, but the other two had ‘things going on’. Which meant either hangover or found one or several hot groupies.

Speaking of hot..

_Dean: maybe we can try again 2night_  
_Cassie: Try what?_  
_Dean: hangin out just you n me_  
_Cassie: All right._  
_Cassie: Dean?_  
_Dean: yes??_  
_Cassie: Never mind. I will see you later._  
_Dean: you bet ;)_

The Wagon Bar was his type of joint. It had a jukebox and sawdust scattered along the floor. No peanuts, but it has a good Western feel to it. The music playing when they came in was on point, and Sam had stopped sending him weird looks.

Benny didn’t get there until after Dean was working on Sam to have a few beers. “It’s still early! You could stop around eight and be just fine. Plus, pizza.”

Sam gave in and was sitting with a beer in front of him when Benny arrived.

Dean slapped his hand and they fist-bumped.

“Hey brother.” Benny then grinned at Sam. “Hey brother’s brother.”

Sam smiled and started to move, but Dean waved a hand. “Sit by me. Sam has a guest coming.” He waggled his eyebrows at Benny to let him know what kinda guest.

Benny laughed and Sam didn’t look amused. What, couldn’t an older brother tease his baby bro about a crush? Especially since Sam wasn’t sealing the deal yet.

Dean made sure a beer was waiting for Cas when he arrived. it must have surprised him, because he stared at the seat next to Sam with some hesitance.

“Hey! That’s your seat and your beer.”

Cas finally took a seat, fingers wrapping around the base of the beer but not lifting it. Dean introduced him to Benny and waited for all the greetings to go around the table. Neither Sam nor Cas were drinking.

Even though Dean’s beer was half-empty, he raised the bottle. “A toast!"

“What are we toasting to?” Cas asked, a crinkle appearing between his eyes as if it was a foreign concept.

Dean really hadn’t thought of a reason, it usually worked to get people to start drinking every other time. “Um. How about to courage?” He looked pointedly at Sam, who looked confused. Dean took a swig and shook his head. What, did Sam need it spelled out in letters across the sky?

After they ordered Dean began the mission’s first step; find out if Cas is interested. “So, you seeing anyone at the moment?”

Cas shook his head, attention rising from his still full beer. “No, I am not.”

“Anyone you got your eye on?” Hey, this was no time for pussy-footing around. Dean only had a few days till he left and he wanted to see Sam happy before then.

Cas blinked and went back to staring at his beer. “I think so.”

He wouldn’t say it slow and hesitant like that if the person wasn’t present. Score one for operation Get Sam a Date. “You know...” Dean angled his beer up and eyed the other bottles.

Both Cas and Sam quickly picked up their beers out of the way, smart boys. Finally they were drinking. If they were both shy, that was going to make this a little trickier. The next round was going to give them liquid courage posthaste.

“You know,” Dean crooked a smile at them, “nothing wrong with being straightforward. The worst someone can say is no, right?”

“Right.” Cas said slowly, gaze trained on Dean again. It kind of made Dean feel warm again, uncomfortable in an indefinable way. Was he going about this all wrong?

“Dean certainly never has a problem showing interest.” Sam interjected dryly. “He just throws a wink and a grin their way and it’s done. I’ve never seen anyone love attention the way he does.”

“Hey,” Dean laughed, “what can I say? I know what I want. I let people know right away so if they want to throw themselves at me, they know it’s safe. If they don’t want to…” He shrugged with a negligent air.

Cas nodded thoughtfully as he took a much longer drink of his bottle. “I think I’ll order us another round.”

“That’s my man,” Dean grinned. See? Cas was taking the hint! He was great at matchmaking, it was practically in the bag.

Dean leaned over to murmur, “Drink up, Sammy, I think someone’s getting lucky tonight.” He grinned at Cas’ retreating back. The guy clearly was dressed for it too with soft blue jeans that tightened along his thighs and ass when he moved.

Sam stared at him, then Cas, then back at him before raising an eyebrow. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it, and continued to look like he was trying to figure out a math equation or something.

Benny returned with a huge grin. “Used up all my quarters.”

Oh no. He’d forgotten that for a guy in the same band as him, Benny had the shittiest taste in music ever. And sense of humour.

The next song started and Dean pulled a face. “Is this Nickelback?”

“Oh, was I mistakin’?” Benny somehow looked even more pleased with himself. If his grin got any bigger the top of his head was going to fall through that shit-eating maw. “I never did make it as a wise man.”

Dean shook his head and decided he was going to need to order couple of rounds too pretty quickly. And he did after Cas came back and politely set the beers down for everyone. Dean winked at him for following up on the ‘plan’.

Benny kept quoting ridiculous things like ‘ _I’ve been down to the bottom of every bottle_ ’ and ‘ _Are we having fun yet_?’

It took at least two shots to not punch his friend in the arm every time. Cas drank the shots as they were ordered with a funny air of determination, but Sam was obviously reluctant even though he had four pieces of pizza.

Exactly at eight Sam began to openly check his watch. “I should get going soon.” Damnit, he was going to ruin all of Dean’s plans. Plan-ruiner! Obviously moving his egg’s from Sam-being-bold to Cas-making-a-move was great, but not if Sam just up and left.

Privacy! That’s what they needed. “Hey Benny, I’mma show you what a real song is. C’mon.”

As they walked to the jukebox Dean nudged his bandmate. “Hey, um..”

“You need that extra hotel room?” Benny asked with a knowing air. He was still sharp-eyed for a guy that had two beers and four shots, but then he always could hold his liquor well.

“Yeah. Gonna give Sam some privacy tonight.”

Benny rolled his eyes with a grin. “Okay, yeah.” He ribbed as he hit the button for selection.

Dean brushed his hands away from the controls lest they end up listening to new-school Creed or something. “Hey, Cas is a nice guy.”

Benny lifted up both his hands. “No judgment here. What happens behind closed doors is nobody’s business.”

“Damn right,” Dean bristled. He wasn’t gonna let anyone even look cross-eyed at his brother. To be fair, Benny had never been that guy to make fun of another person for who they liked based on gender or threw around slurs. Maybe he should calm it down a touch. “Sorry man, this is just new to me. I’m trying to, you know, wave the rainbow flag or something.”

“Yeah, I noticed. We all noticed.”

"Sometimes I gotta be obvious. Some people won’t get it otherwise.”

“Well, one person got it loud and clear.” Benny glanced over his shoulder and Dean followed his gaze.

“What. the. fuck.” He growled at the sight of the table with only one occupant. “Tell me he went to the bathroom or something.”

“He’s gone, brother.” Benny snickered and slapped a hand on his shoulder. “I’m out too. Good luck with that.” And his own bandmate, the man he slept in smelly-sock van with, and helped write songs left him standed there.

Dean shoved his hands in his pockets, making the walk of shame back to the table. “Cas, you okay?”

Can turned to look over his shoulder, blue eyes clear as ever even though he was clearly a lightweight. “I’m fine, Dean.”

“I’m sorry about Sam.” Dean slid into the chair across from Cas and tried to figure out a good way to console the guy. Maybe he did or didn’t make a move, but wasn’t Sam interested? Why else did he keep inviting the other guy out? No, Sam admitted he liked him.

Cas took it stoically though, not even showing he was perturbed. “He did say good night. He has class early in the morning.”

Oh, what an excuse! Early class, early meeting, early work, it was all the same brush off. “No, I feel like this is my fault.” He shook his head at the whole situation. He was supposed to be making sure his brother had someone solid around when Dean had to go back home.

Cas traced a finger along the top of his empty shot glass, the movement light and somewhat hypnotic. “I have a bottle back at my place.”

What the hell, he’d drink with the guy for a bit. Dean hadn’t gotten a text and he didn’t want to do all the chasing. He couldn’t be too available, especially when he gave her all these opportunities to jump him.

“Sounds like the best offer I’ve had all night.” Dean grinned at him.

The dorms were further than the frat, but it was a good walk. Dean grilled Cas on his choice of music and was satisfied that, with a few exceptions, his taste didn’t completely suck. That was pretty important. For Sam.

Cas’ dorm wasn’t as large as the ones at the House, but it had a sitting area with the bed scooted off almost out of sight and a tiny kitchenette. Everything was in its place, and that white hoodie was stretched along the foot of the bed, the design on the back folded inside so he still didn’t get a good look.

He took a seat on the only sofa in the place, stretching out his legs and taking the bottle when Cas offered it to him.

“I’ll get two cups.”

“Just take a seat. It’s just the two of us, unless you got a problem with germs?” Dean twisted the cap off and waited for Cas to shake his head before drinking straight out of the bottle. He’d never had Jack Daniels Honey. The sweet smoothed out a lot of the bite he normally associated with the stuff.

He passed it to Cas after he sat down next to him.

“No, I don’t mind sharing a bottle with you,” he said a bit stiffly, looking all around before peering at Dean out the corner of his eye. That was new. “You mentioned, um, being straightforward?”

Dean took a swig when he had the bottle and held it back out. “Right. You can’t just sit back and hope they’ll notice. Some people wouldn’t get a clue if you wrote it on your chest and rubbed their face in it.” He leaned closer, propping his weight against the back of the couch with one arm. “You know what I mean?”

“I think so.” Cas was giving him all his attention again, that sort of intensity that gave him goosebumps down his arms. “If I’m not to write a clue on my chest, how should I go about this?”

Hmm, that was a good question. “The question is, how bold do you want to be?”

His blue eyes held his before dropping just a few inches then back up. His lips were parted in hesitation. “How bold do you think I should be?”

“Not gonna lie, that look is gold. The last time someone looked at me like that, I got laid.” But seriously. How could anyone interested in the guy misinterpret a look like that? Clearly this needed to be the equivalent of spelling it out for Cas to get his message across to his brother. “But okay, let’s go bold. The most obvious move in the world is, if you’re absolutely sure, is just sitting in their lap.”

Cas blinked, somewhere between embarrassed and intrigued. Clearly he needed the advice if the thought was practically making him blush. It was too bad he wasn’t chasing a more aware person, because naivety like that should be coaxed out slowly.

He shifted, angling one leg toward Dean and moving as if to get up, but he didn’t stand.“So,” he said in his low voice, “like this?” His other knee swung around over Dean’s thigh and pressed into the couch on the other side.

Dean raised his hands, unable to form words. Yeah Cas wasn’t sitting in his lap exactly, but he was certainly straddling him. “Y-yeah, like that. But, um, you, uh...lower yourself.” He should’ve figured Cas would do so. He really should have. And it wasn’t like any time some giggly girl plopped herself down. For one Cas was heavier, a solid line of heat from his thighs to hips. “That’s how you do it, yep.”

“Where do I put my hands?”

Clearing his throat, Dean tried his best to divert his thoughts back to the topic at hand. He was going to need more alcohol. He grabbed the abandoned bottle in the corner and took a damn long drink. He tried to sound matter of fact once he shoved the bottle at Cas. “Shoulders, chest, whatever. I don’t think it matters at this point.”

He moved his hands on Dean’s shoulders, the heel of each palm resting on his chest. It was light, almost tentative, not the attitude he should have while on a guy’s lap.

Dean looked everywhere else, but that seemed to be exacerbating the problem. Without staring at his very masculine features, his body surged at the proximity. It was a damn good thing his jeans hid most of the evidence that some parts of him really liked this. So Dean made himself look right at Cas, willing the difference in gender to become clear to his traitorous body.

“Then what?” The words were dragged out lowly, a hint of tongue between Cas’ tongue as he spoke.

“If they’re not grabbing at you yet, you got to close the distance.” This time he was marginally prepared for how Cas took everything so damn literally and was leaning forward to stop just a centimeter from his mouth, head tilted. It was so close Dean couldn’t lick his own lips without inadvertently touching Cas’ mouth, so he kept his tongue in his mouth despite the urge to wet his dry lips.

Dean couldn’t say why or how or anything about what happened next. He couldn’t even be sure who moved, though he’d never really believe it was him. Or that it was Cas for sure.

All he knew for sure was that Cas’ mouth was on his. His lips were softer than he thought a guy’s might be, a hint of barely-there stubble against his chin, the scent of honey and bite of alcohol filling his senses.

Girls were pretty. Girls were soft and curvy and fun to touch. This was entirely different. The weight was solid, the skin scratched a bit, everything about it felt raw and shocking. His doubly traitorous cock throbbed, apparently uncaring that this was just...just...what?

Cas tilted his head back, eyes opening. “Like that?”

Right. Right. Shit, he was telling him how to hit on Sam. “Yeah. I should probably get some water.” His own voice was husky, aching just as much as he was. Cas hesitated then moved off his lap, luckily none the wiser that Dean was hard enough to cut glass. He stood up, turning quickly to make his escape to the kitchenette.

“Glasses are in the cupboard next to the sink.”

“Thanks.” Dean grabbed one and poured himself a glass. He’d found himself in some pretty fucked up situations because of alcohol, but this was a category all its own. Didn’t he break a serious bro code? It was even worse because it was his actual brother. Did it count if the person was drunk and practicing? Shit.

His phone buzzed.

_Cassie: I’m sorry._  
_Dean: 4 what?_  
_Cassie: I’m not sure._

He blew out a sigh, his thoughts were crowding all around his head in a confusing jumble right now. He had forgotten all about his former girlfriend or whatever she was.

_Dean: its fine im tired anyway_

He stiffened as he heard footsteps entering the tiny tiled space. Should he say again that Cas did a good job? That would sound great. ‘Oh trust me, you got this down. Let’s practice some more.’ Fuck.

“Are you going home then?” Cas asked quietly.

Good to know Dean was the only one thinking highly inappropriate things. He was feeling like such a damn cad right now. Sam could never know. Dean would be good, he’d toast their goddamn wedding and never breathe a word of it. “Yep.”

He drained the last of the water. “Thanks for the drink. I’ll see you?” He barely glanced at Cas as he walked past him, skin buzzing where they almost brushed. He almost got out the door without any mishap, almost.

“Was I bold enough?” Cas stood by the door so Dean could, and did, get a clear look at his concerned expression.

Dean paused. “Uh, yeah. You did great.” He shut the door and ran his fingers through his hair as he walked down the hall. Damn. Any better and he’d have forgotten everything and started actively plundering that honey-tasting mouth.

_Benny: do you still need that hotel room?_  
_Dean: fuck off_  
_Benny: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA_

Dean flipped off his phone and shoved it back in his pocket as he walked back to the frat house. The air was too warm to calm him down and he surreptitiously adjusted himself.

The only problem was he wasn’t going to get any privacy while rooming with his brother. He could sneak off to the bathroom like when they all stayed in one room.

As the house came in sight though, the Impala did as well. Dean checked the keys in his pocket, raising one eyebrow. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time for that either.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, he checked his phone again. Should he? Well, he was actually into girls. And pretty much only girls. Alcohol and being sexually frustrated was his problem. Hell yeah, he was doing this.

_Dean: i didn’t know you had it in u_  
_Cassie: Thank you. Neither did I._  
_Dean: ur a tease_  
_Cassie: I’m not trying to be._  
_Dean: its a good thing_

He knew she didn’t mean that, but there was something to be said about accidental teasing… He bit his lip, the memory of large fingers curled on his collarbone rising up. No, concentrate. Think of soft boobs and plump asses. Girl asses, not ones clad in jeans belonging to blue-eyed guys that belonged to someone else.

_Cassie: In that case, good._

Dean groaned as he palmed through his jeans. He was not imagining the words spoken in a deep voice. Maybe with a dark eyebrow raised and pink lips parted. Just like earlier.

_Dean: god i want to bite ur neck_  
_Dean: after i bend u over_

He typed with one hand as he snapped the button open on his jeans, breathing a sigh in relief as soon as the constriction was gone. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to picture all the times he’d had one hand on Cassie’s back while moving inside her. But a less waspish waist kept popping up in his head, toned shoulders with skin just shy of pale all stretched out in front of him.

_Cassie: Is that also a good thing?_

“Fuck, Cas,” he mumbled as he wrapped his fingers his bare skin. Yeah it was a good thing, a very good thing. Pre-cum was already leaking over his fingers, making everything hot and slick as he loosely pumped with one hand.

_Dean: fuck yes_

He’d tell Cas where to put his hands, right here that’s where. He’d drag him close and whisper in his ear exactly how to move, and Cas’d do it, he’d do it while squirming because he was just as turned on. But Dean would make Cas wait, until he begged for it like a good boy. Then Dean would teach him anything he wanted…

He came with a choked gasp less than a minute after he began, spurting hotly against his fist and the underside of the steering wheel because he didn’t think he’d need a tissue yet. Hand still moving to wring every last drop out, he groaned and tilted his head back to bounce against the head of the seat.

Well _fuck_ , that wasn’t good.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean decides that the best way to handle everything is to stop thinking about it. This does not work.

 

 Denial. Denial denial _denial_.

That was Dean’s mantra as he pulled his guitar out of its case. The location of their second gig was a more mellow place than the Roadhouse. The place was trying to drum up business for their new Music Madness Monday night and Benny shrugged and said it paid okay and had an open tab.

Dean was already four beers in.

The first thing Dean had done that morning was remember everything that happened the night before and considered crawling in a hole and dying. There were things he could blame on the alcohol, but a man absolutely did not touch his bro’s...crush. That was thoroughly off-limits.

He did a lot of touching last night and he wasn’t proud of it. That was the only reason he didn’t even mention Sam leaving abruptly. Yeah, Sam sent him a couple of puzzled looks, but didn’t comment on it either.

So denial was the order of the day. He just had to get to the last gig under his belt - phrasing! - and he’d head back to Lebanon and leave Sam to it. No more help, that was for sure. Dean was just going to get as plastered as possible like he had originally planned and keep reminding himself Sam was better off without his screwed up, boundary crossing brother.

He could never know Dean tasted his soon-to-be boyfriend. Cause Sam deserved someone like that, he deserved to be the first to lick the inside of that hot mouth and teach him how to moan like he did in the restaurant.

“Dude, your timing is all off.”

“Sorry,” Dean muttered to Benny as he tried to concentrate on practicing their first song of the night. It was _Not Evil Enough_ again because it was such a good lead-in to the harder stuff.

A decent amount of college kids showed up just before seven, saving them from playing to two drunks and a bartender. He’d rocked out nights on like that, but it wasn’t as good as having a little participation. _Right Dean_?

He pounded another beer before it was time to go on stage.

Deliberately staring at empty pockets of the decent sized crowd, he played each song with ease...but lacking the normal energy. He sang, performed, and killed it on his solos, but it didn’t loosen the knot of anxiety balled in his stomach.

Still, he didn’t think anyone else noticed.

“Man, you’re lucky this wasn’t televised.” Benny shook his head as they walked to the back after the last song was over.

Dean stopped and did a double-take, rather offended. He kept Benny’s beat and didn’t hit one wrong note. He’d have pointed that out, but instead just trudged to the back. He didn’t want to hear any truth’s right now. Truth was not working for him at all.

“Grab me some beer!” He called to Scott after he got changed in the back, specifically pulling on a dark green shirt that wouldn’t show his chest no matter how much water got poured on it.

Benny shook his head and gave him a look, but didn’t say anything.

It wasn’t the first time one of them hit a rough patch and started drinking like they were 21 again. It just required careful maneuvering of the drunk person and possibly some standing outside bathroom stalls while vomit filled the toilet.

Dean didn’t want to be that guy tonight, but when Scott returned with several beers Dean took two and began to double fist them.

“Drama queen.” Donnie left the back room as well to hang out in the party scene. Fine. Dean wanted to be alone anyway. Alone with his two beers, his silent phone, and his last scraps of dignity.

Until the door opened. “Hey, I saw the others leave.” Sam smiled, because Sam didn’t suspect that Dean was a...a boyfriend stealer. Or at least kisser. Besmircher, in Sam words. His brother saw the bottles in both of his hands. “Is this a bad time?”

“Not for you. Come on in.” Dean could handle this.

Cas stepped in behind Sam.

Dean couldn’t handle this.

And there was a third guy with spiked dirty blonde hair and bright eyes. “Hey Magic Fingers!” He gave Dean an appraising look, but damned if the little guy didn’t go back to staring up at Sam in a way that was not just-friendly.

“Hello, Dean.” Cas said as he took a seat on the firm, red-cushioned chair by the small table. “This is Gabe. Gabe, this is Dean.”

Dean held up the bottles to indicate he couldn’t shake hands and proceeded to finish off one after another. With the three of them watching. He didn’t care.

Gabe snapped his fingers. “I’ll go get us some more!”

Sam tried, and failed, to snag Gabe’s sleeve before he left. “Wait no, I don’t think--!” The door closed.

“Naw, it’s fine. I could use another anyway.”

Sam turned and gave him a look. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, _dad_. Look, what do you think I do when you’re not around? I get drunk after gigs, Sam. Grow up.” He looked away from the hurt look, feeling like he kicked a goddamn puppy. Sam came all the way down to watch him play, like a good brother, and Dean was just...just the worst.

The door opened and Gabe walked in with four beers, slowing as he approached the awkward tableau. “Good timing?” he joked.

“Yep,” Dean plucked two beers out of Gabe’s hands and took a seat on the couch and dared, dared Sam to say anything. He’d ride this shit-train to the ground.

The silence stretched on and on between one disapproving face and the other utterly intense. One was making him angry, and the other was making him hot. And that was frustrating on so many levels.

“So, Sasquatch, you were saying that you work out on Thursdays? Cause I’m thinking I could use a squat partner.”

“Yeah, Thursdays and Mondays. Do you want to join? The more the merrier.” Sam said, the big oblivious giant.

Gabe nodded, casually touching his arm for a moment. “Sure, if I can have guns like these.”

Was this guy for real? Dean moodily pulled from one beer, gaze drifting accidentally to Cas. Who was watching him. There was nothing hesitant or shy about it, he didn’t even flinch when he was caught. Maybe he meant to.

Dean’s earlier words came back to him, ‘last time someone looked at me like that, I got laid.’ He didn’t mean to, but he checked out his mouth again.

It was like an addiction, staring at the serious set of Cas’s mouth. But it was a very, very bad one, because if he looked so long he’d start imagining them doing a variety of other things.

Gabe was still in Sam’s personal space, boundaries!, and saying something about getting sweaty or whatever and Dean had enough.

He stood up, catching his balance before he went right back on the couch. “Hey, only family and friends back here man.”

That stopped the conversation immediately. Sam looked somewhat horrified but not surprised and Gabe appraised him with a small smile playing on his lips. A smirky douchey smile.

“I’m your family’s friend.” A flash of white as Gabe grinned, completely ignoring the directive.

And that pissed Dean off. “No, you’re not. He has _interests elsewhere_ , so stop flirting.”

“Ohh,” Gabe breathed, placing a hand on his chest. “I think Sam is capable of saying where his interest lies. You’re not jealous, are you?”

“My taste don’t run to little squirts like you.”

“I didn’t mean of me.” He shot back.

The fuck? Dean started forward as Gabe backed up - never losing his smirk - and would have kept going, but a hand caught his arm.

Sam was still too far from him. Of course when Dean turned his head there was Cas, head inclined toward him. “It’s not worth it, Dean.”

Wasn’t Cas jealous?! Didn’t he care this arrogant jerk was hitting on Sam? Before Dean could shake off the firm grip, Gabe opened the door.

“I’ll be out here. See ya Wings, Goliath.” The door shut behind him and that was better for him, cause Dean totally could have taken him.

Sam did not look happy at all. “What the hell?”

“He was all over you!”

His brother laughed increduously, a bit bewildered too. “So? Gabe’s just a flirt, he doesn’t mean anything by it.”

“Oh yeah he does,” Dean ground out. How could Sam not notice the way the guy was scamming on him? He knew what it looked like, damnit. “Guys like that only want one thing. You need to go for someone who is quiet and nice and respects you.” He tried so hard not to glance at Cas.

Sam snorted, a hand passing over his mouth. “What? Did you seriously just say guys only want one thing? We’re _all_ guys, Dean.”

“And some of us, like, I mean, not all of them are like that. You need to be careful who you get involved with, cause you never know who you’re overlooking!”

But Sam was shaking his head, still chuckling. “I don’t know if you’re going to remember this tomorrow, but you’re hilarious.”

“What, you’re going to go out there with Grabby McGrabbyhands? I will kick his ass if I have to.”

“Pfft, okay Dean. You can barely stand.” To demonstrate his point, Sam pushed a finger into Dean’s chest and sent him right back on the couch.

Dean glared at him.

“Sober up a little and I’ll drive you home, okay?” And he was going, obviously amused and not taking the words seriously at all.

Dean was definitely not pleased with this turn of events. Didn’t Sam know what he did to encourage the nice guy to go for him? And he was going to throw it all away for some pervy little prick. Fuck!

“Dean?”

Cas was still sitting in the chair, his expression barely changed. He didn’t look disgusted or anything.

“Yeah?”

“Did I do anything wrong?”

Dean rubbed his face with one hand, putting aside one of the beers. “No. This was pretty much all my fault.” He stood up, almost fell, but managed to stay steady long enough to make his way to the bathroom to relieve some of the pressure from drinking four, five...six? beers. No, Scott brought one after that and bitch brought two...counting was hard.

He washed his hands and splashed water on his face, letting the cool drops run down his neck as he came back into the small room. Cas was still there, surprisingly enough, standing closer by the sofa.

“You’re not wrong about Gabe,” Cas said quietly.

“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Dean knew he shouldn’t be exasperated at Cas, but there were a lot of things that shouldn’t be directed at him, so there you go.

Cas shrugged. “We’re all adults. Life is too short to get angry over the choices of others.”

“But he’s sleazy. Sam deserves better than that.” _He deserves a guy like you_. Guys like Gabe were as dirty as the driven ON snow and Cas...Cas was not like that.

Cas tilted his head. “He’s very straight-forward and bold. Isn’t that good?”

“No, that’s not good. It’s okay to be bold when it’s not with _everyone_ and  _anyone_. Not when it might hurt someone nice.” He couldn’t help but glance at Cas's parted lips again, something in his stomach swooping and leaving him breathless. This was about the time he looked away. He had to stop eye-fucking the guy.

Cas's mouth firmed as he looked over Dean’s face. Then his hand shot out and he was pulling him to the side and around.

Dean’s back hit the wall with force as a forearm pressed against his chest and thighs against his. Cas was literally pinning him to the wall, blue eyes poring over his face again with one eyebrow raised.

He kissed Dean like he was trying to taste every bit of him, mouths slotted together perfectly. At first it was sure strokes and then his tongue was sliding in and out of Dean’s mouth filthy and slow.

A part of Dean was fighting this, but it wasn’t the most insistent or strong-willed part. He was too busy making noises comparable to Cas eating a burger, deep moans as a thigh slid between his and pressed just right.

Thoughts were hard. Everything was hard. Literally, because he was sure that wasn’t a gun digging into his hip.

Dean had both his hands twisted in the other man’s shirt, keeping his close as his head turned to the other side to get deeper. To suck his tongue in until Cas was groaning too. If this continued, he was going to spill in his jeans like a teen grinding in the backseat of his father’s car.

Cas worked a hand between them, fingers pressed at the top of Dean’s jeans and suddenly half the constriction was gone. Oh, that took some skill. Any thought of protest froze as fingers wrapped around his aching cock. It took everything for Dean to keep his knees from buckling.

He could hear wet, dirty sounds as Cas moved his fist up and down experimentally.

“Shit, god, yes,” Dean hissed before catching Cas’s mouth and doing his best to taste every part as his own hands dropped between them. His hands were trembling enough that it took two tries to unbutton the other guy’s jeans.

If Dean had ever thought he’d feel weird about this, it never happened. Not as he cupped another man’s erection, not while pushing the flaps aside and tugging the jeans down just enough so he could cup the heavy weight between Cas’s legs.

Cas pressed into him again, the feeling of the hot and silky skin over his cock making Dean gasp into his mouth. He quickly wrapped his fist around both of them, rubbing their cocks together. Never had Dean been so glad to be wrong, because when Cas tilted his head back and hoarsely groaned without holding back, Dean lost it and spurted hotly after one more thrust.

Cas’s hand tightened around both of them as his movement stuttered as well, liquid heat splattered and soaking into both their skin and jeans. But it didn’t matter, because that was the...the most amazing, toe-curling orgasm he ever had and this could technically be only considered third base. Imagine if he got him in a bed with all the time in the world.

Cas was the first to break the silence, his eyes as deep and blue as an endless sky. “Is that bold enough?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter up soon! Hope you're all enjoying! And to the review that pointed out my comment count doesn't matter, touche. I'll be responding to reviews posthaste! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is pretty sure he is the worst brother ever. Sam likes Cas, doesn't he? And what is up with Cassie? The stunning conclusion!

 

“This isn’t right.” It felt great, but something was nagging at the back of his mind. “If you’re mad at Sam…”

“Sam?” Cas dropped his hands, which had found their way to his waist at some point, and took a step back. He looked so damn puzzled.

Dean shook his head like out of a fog. A lusty sex-filled fog. “You’re into Sam.”

“I’m not into Sam.” His expression dropped back into those stoic lines, his voice utterly serious. An impressive feat with swollen, wet lips and a ragged timbre.

What? _What?_ Okay, something was wrong and he was not sober enough to figure any of this out. It was like he was missing something and without it nothing made sense.

He had a reason for thinking that, a very good reason. Didn’t Cas say he was? He was so damn lost. He shook his head again and pushed past Cas.

“Where are you going?”

He ignored that as he buttoned up his pants and pushed the door open. The noise and heat assaulted him from every direction, and at one point he was sure he saw Sam’s concerned face and his lips moving.

Dean didn’t stop until he was out in the cool night air. Afraid that his brother, or other people, might follow him, he pushed away from the building and went stumbling off into the night.

Of course he was literally lost within a block, turning around and unsure which direction he came. The van was always unlocked, he could just crash in there until the other guys were ready to drive it to the hotel.

A large group of people were walking on the other side of the street and he took a chance in following them. Within about two blocks it was clear they were not, in fact, headed to the...shit, what was the name of the place they were playing at?

It had a tiny arcade system and seats for eating and a huge stage. The sign above the door said...Danny’s? Manny’s?

A familiar laugh broke into his thoughts. A laugh he had heard many times in the dark and in smoky tiny bars.

“Cassie?” he barked, looking harder at the group he was unwittingly stalking.

A leggy blonde turned, the laughter on her face freezing once she saw him. And her hand was on some guy’s arm.

_Caught you, bitch._

All the anger and frustration and confusion rushed through him, finding a prime target. This was entirely her fault.

“What is this? Your boyfriend?” Dean could take ‘em. Dude was tall, but didn’t have the hard-won muscles Dean had from being ass-deep in engines and moving heavy crap around.

Cassie just looked flat-out horrified, to his eyes. “Dean, what are you even doing here?”

“Didn’t think I’d catch you?” He pointed at her, swaying a little. “All those flirty texts you’ve been sending me saying you’d meet me on Friday and Saturday, and you’re fucking some other guy?”

She pretended to be shocked, followed by outrage. “Excuse me?”

Dean couldn’t believe she was two-timing him! Playing a little grab ass while he waited on the other side of the phone like a dumbass. “You sent me a picture of your **_pie!_** ”

She gasped, turning bright cherry red. She looked at her boyfriend in a panic. “No, no, he’s just an ex, crazy ex..”

The guy gave them both a wounded look and practically ran off. The group had moved on without them, but he didn’t go their way either.

“You asshole!” she snapped at him before running after the fleeing loser while calling empty platitudes, _the cheater_ , the sound of her heels clacking was satisfying.

Served her right. Dean held onto this thought as he stalked off in the other direction, looking for familiar street names. When his phone buzzed, he wasn’t sure what to expect at this point.

_Cassie: Are you all right?_

She really had some nerve!

 _Dean: what the fuck_  
_Dean: who was that guy_  
_Cassie: That was my brother. Are you all right?_  
_Dean: ..._  
_Dean: i dont even know_

Then he turned off his phone and held his head in his hands. He was really messed up, wasn’t he?

Eventually he found his way back to the place and crawled in the van, shivering with cold and faintly nauseous. He almost made himself puke just to get rid of some of those beers, but he knew by now that only helped a little. Instead he just pulled a stinky blanket over him, shut the van door, and sunk into blessed unconsciousness.

Dean completely ignored his phone the next day. He was busy piecing over what the hell happened the last few days. First he arrived. Sam talks to a strange guy. Guy arrives at show, Sam says he invited him. They go to lunch the next day, Cas shows up in an obvious not-coincidence.

Then he prompts Sam to invite Cas out again and Sam admits he likes the guy. Pause! There, that. So it’s confirmed on Sam’s side. Then Dean goes with Cas to his dorms and there things got fuzzy. Lots of alcohol and he starts giving advice on how to snag a guy. By being bold.

That friggin’ word was going to remind him of this until the end of his days.

Okay, so maybe Cas thinks Dean is hitting on him and not giving him advice about Sam. Cas is completely oblivious to Sam liking him. That made sense, Cas didn’t not grasp things right away, that was easy enough to tell.

That still meant Dean was liplocking with someone Sam had already established a claim over. That still made Dean a pretty shitty big brother. Sex-tousled hair and a shiver-inducing voice should not have had any impact on the immutable, irrefutable rule that one didn’t steal another guy’s...guy.

And Cas had gotten the wrong idea entirely and that made him feel bad too. Not that Dean was exactly innocent on his end at the end.

Dean ignored Sam’s phone calls into the next day, knowing Sam thought he was mad about Gabe still and he was fine with letting Sam think that. It was better than the alternative. He ignored all and any texts that buzzed in too.

Cassie was a bitch, at least that required no thought.

By the time the day came around of the Monster Apocalypse, he was tired of Benny asking if he was up for the show. Of course he was up for the show, they were playing their hardest head-bangin’ rock while machines wrecked other machines. It was almost as cool as playing a Monster Truck rally, that was still on his bucket list.

On the drive to the event center, the very same one he went with Cas and Sam to, he thought about seeing Cassie again. Bet her dumb boyfriend was the only reason she was on that stupid team.

The nerves made him jumpy, drumming an endless rotation on his knees and tapping his feet on the floorboards with small thumps until all three bandmembers threatened to make him walk the rest of the way.

All this nervous energy could be poured into the show, he’d done it before, he would do it now. Loading the gear into the back was familiar and didn’t require any thought, it didn’t help. Pulling on his favorite pale green shirt that brought out his eyes didn’t make him feel better either. Cassie would probably think he was wearing it for her and laugh with all her stupid nerd friends.

“Have you talked to Sam yet?” Benny asked as they were setting up behind a curtain. The other guy was peeking out into the rest of the venue.

“Sure,” Dean lied.

He didn’t dare ask if Benny saw Sam to not give away the fact he hadn’t, in fact, spoke to him at all. But when Benny wasn’t looking Dean crept to the curtain and parted it with his thumb to peek through.

It took a few moments to differentiate between the crowd and the groups, which all had matching jackets. A gathering of white caught his eye.

Messy black hair and that familiar white hoodie. Shame burned in his stomach as he devoured him with his eyes. It was safe, nobody was looking his way. The other guys were wearing white jackets and...and Sam was standing right next to Cas, laughing with his huge paw on the hoodied arm.

His stomach fell so hard he almost choked. Well. Good for them. That’s what Dean wanted, wasn’t it?

In staring at the new couple, he noticed the guys in white had writing along their back, TEAM ANGEL. He searched and searched for Cassie, trying not to look back at his brother still talking in close to Cas, practically in his damn ear.

Cas turned around, finally revealing the black design all over his back.

Wings.

Huh. That explained why perv called him that.

The other guys all clearly liked Cas, talking to him eagerly and one handed him a huge remote control. When the coordinator came around to call groups away, Cas tagged along with _Team Angel_. He waved at Sam with...was that a smile?

Dean's chest gave a funny pang.

Team _No Loopholes_ , as a funny side note, had a grumpy looking leader with a black suit jacket and red lettering. Grumpy guy came over to shake Cas’s hand with a very narrow look.

But where was Cassie?

Dean turned slowly, as if seeing something just not understanding what it was. “Hey...hey man, is there like a pamphlet for this event? A, uhh, list, a schedule?”

“What, like a program?” Donnie asked, arms full of drums.

“Yes!” Dean all but shouted, sending the other man scurrying off once he put his stuff down. Dean paced and paced and ignored everything until he had the tri-folded paper in his hand proclaiming MONSTER APOCALYPSE 2002. Practically ripping it in his haste, he scanned over the words and words until he found Team Angel.

**Castiel Novak.**

It was the only Cas name. While yes, Cassie could have dropped out last year, that really didn’t make sense, did it? None of it made sense because she couldn’t cook, didn’t know how to lift a hood let alone understand what was under it, and she sure as shit wasn’t able to build any machine that didn't come with instructions.

Cas took him to an Engineer Exhibit for god’s sake.

Dean grabbed out, catching Benny’s arm and clinging for dear life.

“What?” Benny asked, looking at him with understandable wariness.

“Fuck! Sam isn’t dating Cas, _I’m dating Cas_!”

That earned him a completely dubious look. “I am not sure how to respond to that.”

Dean tore down the side steps, making his way down the tiny hall through two doors looking everywhere in the crowd for Sam. Sam, Sam could explain this. All Dean could think was what the fuck had he even texted ‘Cassie’ over the last week? He told him he wanted to see him shirtless, that his mouth was...oh shit, he said he wanted to bend him over.

“Sam!”

Sam was just sitting, but paused and looked up at Dean. A hopeful, but cautious, light entered his eyes. “Hey.”

Dean climbed over one person and nearly missed another in his haste. “Hey, I’m sorry. I’m an ass. At any point, at all, have you liked Cas? Like in a dating way?”

Sam quirked an eyebrow. “No… Now, what’s this I hear about you--”

“No time!” Dean turned and went the way he saw the coordinator taking the teams. He headed toward huge octagon with sturdy metal walls on the bottom and a chain link fence on the top.

 _Team Angel_. Cassie Angel. His brother made it. It was his brother that night. Shit!

He wove through the other teams, Team Casters and Magdalene and Sisters to get to the flock of white. But he stopped when he got within sight, looking at all the faces. Cas was easy enough to spot, but he was busy, wasn’t he? Maybe he didn’t want Dean there or at all.

 _Dean_ invited him out for burgers and kept asking for alone time. But Cas said he was attractive and agreed with being a tease so long it was a good thing.

“Sir, you can’t be over here.” A kid with acne the size of sunbursts tried to shoo him.

Dean pointed to him firmly, “Hey, I’ve got knife wounds older than you, you little shit.”

The kid’s cheeks turned very pink and his voice cracked. “Excuse me, those are the rules. Don’t make me call security!” He seemed to puff out his chest when a few guys with cameras the size of a small house turned his way.

“Son of a bitch,” Dean muttered, trying to look past skinny brat.

Cas was staring at him. Through all the noise and people and movement, his blue eyes never flickered or lowered.

This was it. This is how a man became a man, and possibly got arrested too. Dean pushed past the kid, who squawked, and walked in a straight path. The people in white parted for him, some less than willingly, until Dean was in front of Cas and Cas was in front of him.

The crazy cowlicks were a mess, he had more stubble than two days ago, and his eyes were amazing.

Dean gently grabbed both sides of his face and kissed Cas deeply. He didn’t care about the buzz of voices around him or the gasps or ahhs. He only cared that Cas was responding in kind. Dean licked his lips and nuzzled the other man’s mouth, the scratchy feel sending a funny thrill through him.

"You were texting the wrong person,” Cas said quietly, blue eyes intent on his.

Dean gave him a crooked smile back. “Nope. I was texting the right one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this marks the end of the prompt originated mistaken-identity stalking, though it turned rather interactive, didn't it? ;) Hope it was enjoyed by all, don't forget to tip your waitress! (Me, which is me, leave a review because I love them!)
> 
> Due to some flattering praise, there will be several timestamps added to this in the nearby future. Hearts all around!!


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